Thompson was more used to bed baths than beatings.
A former Slaughter and May trainee has won plaudits for defending two care workers from a cane-wielding maniac.
Ian Thompson qualified at the Magic Circle firm before becoming an equity trader, but decided he wanted a more rewarding challenge and in 2020 established Walfinch, a business providing home care to elderly, convalescing and disabled people.
All was serene until just after Christmas 2022 when Thompson received a call from two of his employees asking for his help. In distress, they told their boss there was a lunatic outside threatening to beat them up.
Thompson jumped in his car and raced to the scene where he found his staff members trapped inside a client’s home by a man brandishing a cane and accompanied by a large dog.
Two WPCs were present when the Walfinch MD arrived, but they didn’t dare approach and were waiting for back-up.
Not Thompson, who was sufficently worried by the care workers' predicament that he decided to intervene despite being armed with only a gilet and a firm tone of voice.
In a video acquired by ROF, the ex-Slaughters solicitor can be seen attempting to persuade the attacker, Mr Vandepeer, to exit the area and leave his employees alone.
“No”, says Vandepeer, suddenly hitting Thompson violently across the face with his cane.
As the pair grapple while the dog barks and leaps up, Thompson warns him, “Hit me with that again and I will take you out”.
After Thompson tosses the strap of the cane behind him, the former Magic Circle lawyer is whacked again, this time across the shoulder.
“How do you feel about that, c**t?, demands Vandepeer, who then thrashes Thompson once more in the head with his stick.
Thompson’s actions provided time for more police to arrive. It was only after blasting Vandepeer with pepper spray and shooting him with a taser that they were able to manoeuvre him inside the police van.
In the struggle the attacker bit one of the officers and “her hand was bleeding quite a lot”, said Thompson.
Vandepeer was convicted of ABH in relation to Thompson and racially aggravated assault of a police officer, and is understood to have received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty just before his trial was due to begin.
Thompson, who sustained cuts to his head and an injured elbow as a result of his actions, told ROF, "The carers sounded terrified when they called me. We are in the business of caring for people so this isn’t the kind of behaviour we come across very often. They were really shocked".
Asked what motivated him to intervene, he said, "I wanted to do whatever I could to get them out of the danger they were in. They were very grateful but shaken for a few days afterwards".
Comments
28
1
Is that gilet armour-plated? He shrugs off some big hits!
Good man.
24
0
Should have gone road man on the t**t.
28
0
Minus one point for failing to follow through on the "I will take you out" threat*. I think that would have made for better footage. But other than that a flawless performance. A big round of applause to that man.
*and let's be real, most of us wouldn't have**.
**and yes, I know that the internet roadmen of RoF will be along in a moment to explain how, actually, they would have beaten this miscreant to death with his own dog, before being hoisted aloft the shoulders of onlookers and paraded down the street as a hero.
24
0
Suspended sentence. Good grief.
20
1
What am I missing? My comments below are not going to be popular but then I am not trying to creep up anyone's backside either.
The care workers were inside the house, the police were on-site - so no-one was being attacked at that point. In the video, all we can see are two men and a dog. No care workers cowering nearby (because they are safely indoors having removed themselves from the threat).
Then Thompson comes along and 'intervenes' - but intervening in what? The man was outside and threatening the workers but they were inside and not being attacked by him.
So why stick yourself into the situation and go and speak to that man? You are only going to wind him up. Let the police get whoever they need to get and maybe they might have also find someone known to the man who could really sort this out. Instead he wades in, arrogantly, thinking he knows best and he is going to resolve everything. I am not surprised he is ex-S&M. That sense of thinking that you know better than everyone else!
Had an attack been in progress and Thompson waded in to stop the attack I would be applauding him. But that isn't what this is. In the end he did what he should have done at the beginning, walk away, because clearly he was not going to get the better of that older obese man, and he knew that at the end.
25
0
This is why multi-specialism is such an important part of the Slaughters culture.
24
0
09:34 you're entitled to that view. I like to think I'd think and act like he did, though.
If vulnerable people I was responsible for were fearful for their safety and they called me for help and the police were just watching, I'd get involved.
I'm not saying I'd try and kill the guy or anything stupid like that, I'd just try to do what I perceive my duty to be in a society where we shouldn't passively let this conduct pass.
23
0
9.34 is from Links, 100%
25
0
9.34 is the type of person you don't want as your boss when a madman is outside
'Please help us!'
'No, i'd only be putting myself in harm's way and probably make things worse'
'But the police aren't doing anything'
'Are his hands actually around your throat? No? then I'll stay put'
'We're scared! Please help!'
'And i'm scared you expect your employer to go well beyond the scope of his responsibilities - if you look at clause 2 b iii of your employment contract you'll see i am not liable for on-site safety and in fact you should have carried out a vetting procedure before entering the property, something we'll need to pick up on Monday'
'He's got in, he's attacking us!'
'Unfortunately it is now too late for me to attend even if i wanted to help. Be well'
20
1
Should have fought back. Instead he took a pasting from a cripple.
Beta behaviour.
Our Lord and saviour Andrew Tate would not have got his arse kicked.
18
0
Tate is as unpleasant as it gets but he really was a world class kickboxing champion and I think even won a world title. So I think it’s safe to say he could easily take out a random drunk guy
22
1
He commits ABH, and assaults a POLICE OFFFICER who is also racist to, but does not go to jail. Beyond a joke.
16
0
He did the right thing in not fighting back otherwise he might have ended up in jail. He might well have allowed his body to be used as a block to stop the criminal getting at the care workers but he doesn't really fight him off, but he was certainly brave and wise.
The suspended sentence is the real killer issue here. That will not deter the criminal at all. May be 100 hours working at care homes might be good for starters.
18
0
[Misses point rather but] the term 'WPC' for 'woman police constable' was abolished in 1999 @Jamie Hamilton. They're all just 'PCs' now.
17
0
Well done
22
0
When’s the rematch? Money is on the gilet clad warrior to bring some retribution once again to his nemesis!
17
0
Not all heroes wear capes but they are partial to a gilet.
Plus if I have heard correctly this guy is a Geordie.
What a good lad.
19
1
WPC is a grossly outdated term that is no longer used. It is not clear from the video, but if police officers were watching on whilst this happened then this is inadmissible. The only saving notion is that these police officers, like all in the UK, were underarmed in the context of the canine threat and what risk assessed and are waiting for support.
17
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@Anon 15 December 23 09:34
>What am I missing?
What you are missing is that with attitudes like yours, we would all be speaking German here today.